


Let's Do This Baby

by amazonrod123



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Off Hiatus, i figured out these tags, revisions are fun, sports are involved, time jumps all over
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-10-12 05:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17461625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amazonrod123/pseuds/amazonrod123
Summary: Bechloe HSAU





	1. Start This Off Right

**Author's Note:**

> Ok. This is literally my first story like EVER so please leave any kind of feedback in the comments. I will try to update regularly but you know school is REAL. Hope you enjoy! (Also btw this starts off super Jeca but I SWEAR they aren't a thing. Bechloe for life dude.) (Also don't hate on my OC bc they totally have a purpose)

**2008**

Standing in the middle of her backyard, Beca Mitchell lightly dribbled her soccer ball between her feet. It was a typical Georgia-summer afternoon, sunny and hot, to say the least. She knew her parents were inside talking to their new neighbors that had just moved in across the street, but she was more content outside, kicking the ball around by herself.

"You play soccer?" a voice inquired.

She turned to find a young boy who looked to be about her age. His brown hair was cut short and his facial expression reminded her of a puppy. She stared blankly at the boy wondering who he was and where he came from and most importantly why he was talking to her.

Sensing this, the boy took a couple steps forward and said sheepishly, "I'm Jesse. My family just moved in across the street a couple days ago and your mom invited us over for lunch."

Beca looked at the boy skeptically for a moment before replying, "I'm Beca. And yes I do play soccer. What's it to you?"

"I just wanted to know if you wanted someone to play with. I used to play soccer before I moved here," Jesse said, raising his hands up as if he were surrendering.

Beca thought for a moment. She really was tired of playing soccer by herself. Her dad always seemed to be too busy with work and her mom didn't know how to kick the ball correctly. It would be nice to have someone to play with who seemingly understood the game as well as she did.

So, with a sigh, Beca passed the ball to Jesse who stopped it with his foot.

"Aww yes!" Jesse exclaimed, "You know Becaw, we're gonna be best friends! I can feel it. Your new nickname is Becaw by the way."

Beca couldn't wrap her head around this kid. He seemed to be talking at 100 words per second. But Beca decided she could handle his enthusiasm and they continued to pass the soccer ball back and forth, not a care in the world.

**Present Day**

"And THAT'S the story of how me and Becaw became besties for life," Jesse said. The now high school juniors were sat at their lunch table talking amongst themselves.

"You know Jess, I feel like everytime you tell that story I regret that day more and more," Beca deadpans as the whole table laughs.

Sat across from Beca were 3 of her closest friends, Stacie Conrad, Emily Junk, and Ashley Jones. Her closest guy friend Jesse Swanson was sat to her left and empty spaces to her left were reserved for her the other members of their friend group, Amy, Alex, and Mj.

Their friend group was diverse, everyone with their own hobbies. There were the athletes: Beca, Jesse, Stacie, and, Alex; the "nerds": Emily, and Ashley. Mj was a special case seeing as she was both athletic as well as nerdy. Amy, on the other hand, seemed to always be in some sort of situation but surprisingly managed to mantain her grades to at least a B. Their group was an odd collection, yes, but they kept each other grounded. They were like a strange little family.

"So has anyone seen them?" said Ashley, gesturing to the empty seats.

"Well, I know Mj's somewhere formulating her master plan to romance her lady love, Cameron," Jesse replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Dude...gross," Beca grimaced. "That eyebrow thing is disgusting."

"Oh you're just jealous you can't do it," Jesse shot back.

Beca rolled her eyes before replying, "Amy had a club meeting to go to."

Just then, Mj walked through the cafeteria doors and made her way to the table. Plopping down in the seat next to Beca she said, "Wassup peeps? I totally got the best idea to win Cameron over. It's for suresure gonna work, I can feel it. Can't you guys feel it? Oh my-"

"Hey, hey, hey, slow down there lovesick puppy," Stacie said, chuckling. "What's the big plan?"

"Ah ah can't tell you 'cause you're gonna jinx me. It's totally gonna work though. I gurantee it," Mj said grinning

"Can you at least give us a hint as to how you're gonna woo you're cheerleader?" Beca asked, nudging Mj a bit as the rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"Nope. I already have enough stress with this whole assembly thing homie. I can't afford sabotaging myself and revealing my plans."

"Oh yeah, how are you guys feeling about that? Must be exciting getting your Letterman's this year?" Emily said.

At Barden, after being on varsity for any sport for 2 years, the athletes get their Letterman's at a big assembly in front the whole school. Since Beca, Jesse, and Mj all made varsity for their respective sport their freshman year, this was the year they would be presented with their Letterman's.

"I'm kinda nervous, not gonna lie," Jesse said slightly shrugging. "But I'm also really freaking pumped. Like, we're getting Letterman's guys!"

"Well this has been fun, but the bell's about to ring and we gotta get to Biology, right Mj?" Beca said as she picked up her lunch tray.

Mj had been staring into space with a dreamy look on her face. "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Bye you guys!" Mj said as she snapped out her daze and gathered her backpack and gym bag before leaving the table to go join Beca.

/

"Alright folks. It's time for our first lab so you know what that means? Assigned partners! Woohoo! Your partner for this lab will also be your partner for the rest of the semester, so that's fun," Mr. Russo said as he passed the lab instructions out.

Beca never had a problem with Mr. Russo and could, in fact, relate to the sarcasm he expressed from time to time. Looking at the lab placed in front of her, Beca cringed slightly.

"Fetal pig?" she mumbled. Looking up she met Mj's eyes from across the room. She didn't look too enthused about the lab either but she was sitting next to Cameron which was a win in Beca's book for sure. She winked at Mj before turning to face the front of the classroom.

"Ok, everyone has a paper? Cool," Mr Russo said before turning back to his computer. "Now I'm going to project your lab pairs on the board, just give me one sec guys."

The projection screen lit up and displayed the lab partners.

Beca quickly scanned the board for her name. _Nope, nope, nope, oh Mj got Cameron, nice, nope, ah hah Beca Mitchell and..._

"Chloe Beale?"


	2. You Look Familiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Beca met her friends...and Chloe...and then meets her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided that since I'm watching This is Us, I'm gonna give this story the same kind of format and start it off with a significant event that happens in the past and then continue on with the present.  
> (Also if you haven't seen This is Us you're MISSING OUT! it's great. super emotional though so if you like crying...) (ps. I'm not basing this off of the show I'm simply using its format) Enjoy!!

**2013**

Beca Mitchell could name a lot of things she liked. She liked playing soccer and basketball with Jesse, listening to music, sleeping etc. But the one thing she truly detested was athletic camp.

After noticing her keen ability and increased interest in sports, her parents mentioned that, if she wanted, she could participate in the activities the camp was providing.

The camp itself wasn't a traditional summer camp either. The "campers" didn't live on the campgrounds but were instead dropped off and picked up by their parents each day.

Beca made friends with the other kids in her group and at the end of each week she would email Jesse, who was spending his summer in Tennessee, updates on how camp was going.

 **To: Jesse**  
**From: Beca**  
**Subject Title: Camp Life**

"Dude. This place literally SUCKS. Like, you would think that for a sports camp they would let you pick which sport you want to play but NOOO. WE'VE BEEN PLAYING SOFTBALL FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS!! I FREAKING HATE SOFTBALL!! But anyways I made some friends here so that's fun I guess. My groups pretty cool. This one guy, Alex, he swims and plays rugby which is basically like soccer but you use your hands. Weird, I know. And then there's Mj who plays basketball and soccer like me and you. She's seems pretty chill, I think you'd like her. There's one girl Stacie who plays volleyball. She technically isn't in our group but she's cool and invited us to her house to hang out and play video games. And the crazy thing is, all these kids are from around here but I've never seen them before. They must go to the other school. But yea that's me sooooo...I hope your cousins haven't killed you yet and that you get back soon so you can meet these weirdos."

/

Hanging out at Stacie's house was...different to say the least. After their day at camp, Beca and her newfound friends would usually hang out together, but Stacie's house just always gave off a good vibe. They would play video games, watch TV, play sports, and just hang out. Stacie's family had a large entertainment room as well as a huge backyard so it was easy for the gang to find something that would keep them occupied.

One day they decided to race bracket-style, one versus one with the winners of each round facing off against each other until the winner was determined.

They were sat about in Stacie's room, preparing themselves for the race. Stacie was creating the bracket on an old whiteboard she had when she was a child.

"Oh god, I hope I don't have to race Alex," Mj said to herself wearily as she paced around.

"Wait Stacie, how are we gonna do this with an odd number of people?" Beca asked, pausing her conversation with Jesse and Alex.

Jesse had returned from his small vacation a few weeks before and was introduced by Beca to the others who seemed more than happy to welcome him into their group.

They all look at each other. Mj let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh I forgot to tell you guys. There's a girl from our school who lives down the street. She's a dancer/cheerleader named Chloe and I'm sure she'd want to race with us," Stacie replied before turning her attention back to the board

There was a small collection of 'ohs' that could be heard throughout the room.

"Chloe's cool guys, don't worry about it," Stacie assures them before stepping to the side of the small whiteboard. "Ok these are the rounds and who's going against who and all that good stuff. First up we have Alex and Beca. Then Jesse and Mj. And finally me and Chloe."

"YES! You're ass is so getting owned Swanson!" Mj exclaimed, clearly ecstatic by her luck.

"I say winner get ice cream that the losers have to buy for them," Jesse says.

"I'm down with that," Beca agreed.

"Don't be so sure of yourself Bec because you're gonna lose our match. I'm like the Flash," Alex said dramatically.

"Yeah but lamer," Mj muttered.

The group, except for Alex, erupted in laughter.

"All right guys let's go convince Chloe to do this race so the Flash can get his ice cream," Stacie says in between giggles.

They made their way down the street to Chloe's house.

"Why am I in the front? Where's Stacie at?" Beca said turning around before they approached the door.

"She had to run back to get the board. Just knock on the door and ask if she wants to race with us down the street," Jesse replied.

Rolling her eyes, Beca hesitantly approached the door before looking back at her friends. Taking a deep breath, Beca quickly pressed the doorbell.

"Coming!" said a sweet voice from inside. She could hear a dog barking through the door. She looked back at her friends. Mj gave her a thumbs-up and Beca smiled slightly before turning back to the door just in time to see it opening.

"Hi!" a girl said in a voice that was a clearer version of the one Beca heard previously. As she looked at the girl she couldn't help but notice that she was really pretty. The girl's red hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her bright blue eyes seem to bore into Beca's soul. She got butterflies in her stomach as the girl smiled brightly at her.

Shaking off these feeling, Beca started shyly with, "Hi...we're umm...we're looking for Chloe? Umm we're friends with Stacie and we were wondering if you wanted to race down the street with us. We're have a ummm ummm tournament type thing where the winner gets ice cream the losers buy for them."

The girl look at Beca's for a second, then looked past her shoulder and spotted the rest of their group who had quietly approached Beca.

"Well my name's Chloe and I'll race you guys for ice cream. I just have to gk ask my mom first. Be right back," she said quickly before turning back into her house.

"Well that went ok, I think?" Beca said, still trying to shake off the weird emotions that Chloe brought upon her.

Just then, Stacie returned, whiteboard in tow. "Let's do this."

/

"So your name's Beca?" Chloe said.

Beca looked to her right. She had been walking farther ahead than the rest of the group as they made their way to the ice cream shop. Surprisingly, Beca had managed to beat Alex and the rest of them, dubbing her the winner of their competition.

"You know, I knew Mj and Alex and Stacie, but I didn't know you two," she said gesturing to her and Jesse, who was trying to do cartwheels in the street with Alex.

"Yeah, we go to a different school than you guys. I met Mj, Alex, and Stacie earlier this summer at our sports camp thing," Beca said offhandedly.

As they made their way to the ice cream shop, Beca and Chloe chatted about random topics. Beca truly enjoyed her time spent with Chloe and was sad to see her go back home.

**Present Day**

"Chloe Beale?" Beca said to herself. Sighing, she made her way over to Chloe's lab station.

"Oh, hey Beca," Chloe said, smiling politely.

"Hi," Beca replied smiling at Chloe before saying, "it appears that we are lab partners. So...," she ended slightly awkward.

Chloe's features seemed to brighten up upon hear this information. "Awes. I'm honestly glad we're partners because some of the people in this class aren't...the most motivated," she said chuckling quietly as she moved her bag from the chair next to her.

Beca chuckled with her before sitting in the chair. They looked at each other before Chloe asked Beca, "So how are you?"

Before she could replied to the question, however, Mr. Russo spoke.

"Alright class, before I make the official seating chart, is everyone where they would like to be? There should only be two pairs at each lab table, four people at one table at most."

"I've been good. Just really busy with basketball and soccer, you know?" Beca replied, slightly shrugging her shoulders. She had that same unidentifiable feeling in her chest that she did when she first met Chloe. "How about you?"

"I've been good too. Same thing though, busy with cheer and school, you know?" she said winking at Beca before turnkng back to face Mr. Russo as he explained the project.

Beca fought back the blush threatening to appear on her face. She wondered if Chloe could feel the weird tension between the two of them. It seemed to be the only thing Beca could focus on. They were sat close enough that Beca could smell Chloe's perfume.

She tried to focus on other things that weren't Chloe. There weren't that many students in this class, 16 kids including herself. She attempted to get Mj's attention, but she was being a good student and paying attention to the lab run-down Mr. Russo was giving. When Mr. Russo wasn't talking, she was talking quietly with Cameron. Beca looked at the clock.

12:49

_Only one more class after this Mitchell, 6 more minutes._

She stared off into space not thinking about anything in particular when Chloe bumped her knee slightly. She snapped outout her trance and looked at Chloe, who appeared still be listening to Mr. Russo. But as she looked down at the desk, she noticed a folded piece of paper that hadn't been there before. She looked at Chloe again, but her face remained impassive.

Opening the note, Beca read over it.

_You should give me your number. for the project/lab report._

_-CB_

Beca smirked before writing out her number on the paper and discreetly passing it back to Chloe's side of the table.

The bell rang signaling the end of class.

"Alright class we will begin dissections next time," Mr. Russo said as the students filed out the classroom.

"I'll see you around Beca," Chloe said smiling slightly before leaving.

Beca stayed behind to wait for Mj who was packing her bag. She watched Cameron and Mj embrace before she left the classroom too.

"Dude. Dude. DUDE! I got this in the bag for sure! I mean did you see that hug? That was a lover's hug, dude, I'm telling you! This plan is going so smoothly!" Mj said, excitement evident in her voice as they walked to English class.

Beca, however, stayed silent as Mj rambled on, her thoughts focused on a certain redhead.

 

 

 

 


	3. Best Friend, Who Is a Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little Beca and Mj friendship development

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just want to say thank you to everyone supporting this story. it means a lot. I honestly didn't think it would get as many hits and kudos and all that stuff that it has. As always, you guys are the best and enjoy.

**2015**

"Do we really want to do this? I mean you saw her right? She's scary! You know maybe...maybe if I call my mom she'll come pick us up, you know? I mean she just dropped us off, maybe she'll...maybe she'll pick us up," Mj said frantically as she paced the locker room.

Beca looked at her watch. Basketball tryouts were supposed to start in 15 minutes.

She crouched down and tied her shoe laces before saying, "Dude, the basketball coach is no big deal. Besides we're the best. There's no way we aren't making the team."

"Ah ah but keep in mind Beca, we are the only freshmen who, by the way, aren't even real freshmen yet, are trying out! Did you see the girls out there, Beca? Their shoes are bigger than my face!" Mj said hopelessly before continuing to pace.

She was right about the shoes, but Beca decided not to mention that just yet. Mj really seemed to be going through it but Beca didn't understand why. As far as she was concerned nobody she'd ever seen could dribble better than Mj. Not even the girls they saw warming up when they'd first arrived before being yelled to go dress out by the coach.

"Look," Beca began, halting Mj's pacing," you are the best fresh out of middle school/fake freshman basketball player I know." Mj looked at Beca while adjusting her headband before Beca continued. "Me and you are gonna go kick some upperclassmen ass out there and make the team and it's gonna be awesome and super badass, ok? And besides, once we make the team this entire locker room will be ours," Beca finished with a chuckle.

Mj chuckled as well before flexing her hands and shaking off her nerves. Beca was happy to see her friend significantly less freaked out and was proud that her speech actually worked.

"Yeah, yeah. We got this," Mj said confidently.

"Oh shoot, let's get out of here before we miss the tryouts," Beca said, checking the time again. They locked their belongings up before leaving for tryouts.

/

"Holy crap! I don't think I've ever been this hot on my life, dude. Pour some water on me or something, shiiiit! Aren't there showers in here or something? " Mj said, entering the locker room.

"There's showers, yeah, but I don't think your mom would appreciate you getting in her car soaking wet," Beca replied before opening her locker.

"Yeah, no, she'd beat my ass for sure," Mj said, laughing before continuing. "So...did you talk to Jesse about...you know?"

Beca's eyes widened slightly before clearing her throat. She had been struggling to come to terms with her sexuality and went to the only person she thought would understand. Mj. They talked about everything and anything and Mj made Beca feel _safe_. She had shown and given her unconditional support. She had explained to her that she should come out to the people she cared about and felt most comfortable around first and Beca took that advice. She managed to tell her parents who, surprisingly, took it well. She hadn't expected them to be so cool about it if she was being honest. Her father even shed tears- like, full on waterworks in front of her and her mother, saying he wasn't ready for his daughter to grow up yet.

But Jesse had been a different case. She told him over the weekend and he seemed to be over the moon about it. He had hugged her tightly, whispering a quiet promise to be "the best lesbro in the history of all lesbros". Beca had shaken her head and punched him in the arm, mumbling about him being a weirdo.

"Uh...yeah I talked to him," Beca replied as she zipped up her bag. "He was fine with it and didn't make it awkward or anything, thank God."

She doesn't know what she would have done if Jesse turned out to be a homophobe. He'd been her bestfriend since forever. She couldn't imagine losing that friendship.

"Well I'm glad. Otherwise I would have had to punch him in the face," Mj said with mock seriousness as she punched her fist into her palm.

"Well I gotta go. My mom said she'd make me something for lunch when I got back. When do they post the basketball team roster?" Beca asked, walking with Mj out of the locker room.

"Like, the first week of school. So, like, 3 weeks? But I don't know what day. Oh look, there's my mom," she said pointing to her car across the parking lot. "See ya later Beca!"

"Bye! Also tell your mom I said hi!" she yelled the last part as she watch her friend depart.

**Present Day**

"Beca, I know it's been a long day, but can you work with me a little bit? Please?" her English teacher said from her desk.

Beca let out a soft sigh before lifting her head up and continuing to work on her rough draft. She couldn't wait to get to the gym after school. They were voting on team captains that afternoon and Beca was one of the longest standing members on both the basketball and soccer team. She knew she had at least a small chance to make captain, but she hoped she could handle it. She really didn't want to let down her teams. Also, Chloe being her lab partner was stirring up all kinds of old feelings inside of her that she couldn't seem to get a lid on. They hadn't talked in ages, but they conversed so comfortably, it felt like they'd been friends for a second. Beca was truly stumped.

"Hey. You okay?" Mj asked her.

Beca turned to look at her with a confused look on her face.

"You kinda just started writing and stopped. Abruptly. And your face looks weirder than normal." Mj chuckled before going back to her own paper.

Beca nudged her on the shoulder as she said, "Shut up! My face is not weird, weirdo. I was just thinking about this afternoon. The big sports meeting?"

Mj nodded her head in understanding. "You nervous?"

"A little bit but we'll see."

"Well, when you become captain, you better give me special treatment."

"Who says we aren't going to be co-captains?" Beca challenged. "You've been on those teams just as long as I have and you're way better than me. You're gonna be a captain I gurantee. Me and you, captains."

Mj chuckled, "I guess we're about to find out, huh? Last bell ring should be ringing any minute."

"You don't even have a watch on. How do you know?" Beca asked as Mj packed her bag.

"I just feel it. Plus everyone else has their stuff packed too," Mj replied slyly.

Beca just rolled her eyes and packed up as well.


	4. We Were Only Freshmen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freshman Orientation; Beca meets Amy; Bechloe fluff. kinda angsty but it's tolerable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I wrote this whole chapter in the past but this might be the last chapter that goes back lol. I gotta see where this is going but the next chapter is like half written and I just started it in the present and it's going pretty well. Enjoy!

**2015**  
  
"Wow. We're really in high school. We're high schoolers," Jesse said in awe. He seemed truly enamored by the simple courtyard they were stood in.  
  
As Beca surveyed the courtyard, she didn't notice many people. They had arrived earlier than normal because it was orientation day and their parents couldn't wait to get them out the house. So, after a hearty breakfast consisting of one waffle, two apple slices, and half a cup of orange juice, they were on the move.  
  
"Come on Jess. Let's go find Stacie and Alex. They texted they were at the tables closest to the water fountains, which are over there somewhere," Beca said impatiently, pointing to some tables across the courtyard.  
  
They made their way over to the table where Stacie and Alex were sat.  
  
"Hey guys, we were wondering if you were going to keep standing there looking lost," Alex teased as Beca and Jesse sat down.  
  
Stacie flicked him in the ear before saying," I hear today's going to be pure shit. Apparently, they aren't feeding us lunch and after we go through our schedules, it's going to be icebreakers for the rest of the day.  
  
"Yeah and going through the schedules is only gonna take like 30 mins," Alex added while rubbing his ear.  
  
"I'm going to ditch," Beca said seriously.  
  
"You don't mean that. Plus we'll be in the gym! That's like, our spot! Look on the bright side," Jesse said grinning.  
  
"Yeah, with like 100 other people! Plus all the teachers, so it's really like 150 people! But I agree with Jesse, Beca's not gonna skip," said Alex.  
  
"Ughhhhhh we'll be miserable!" Beca groaned.  
  
"But we'll be miserable together," Stacie replied warmly.  
  
/  
  
"So now we're going to go around and each of us are going to tell a short story about ourselves. I'll start," said Rory, their freshman orientation group leader.  
  
They had been split into groups and were spread out throughout the gym. Not surprisingly, Beca and the rest of her friends had all been separated from each other.  
  
_So much for being miserable together..._ Beca thought glumly.  
  
As Rory droned on about some ridiculous adventure, Beca's gaze wandered to the only person in her group she knew. Chloe. She looked past Chloe's shoulder and couldn't help but notice a blonde girl that was sitting in another group eyeing her as well. The girl's face looks familiar, but Beca knew they'd never met before.  
  
_I think her name's Audrey..._ Beca thought to herself.  
  
"And that's how I got this gnarly scar," Rory said pointing to a large scar on his forearm as he finished his story. "So who's next?"  
  
The group looked at one another with wide eyes. Chloe met Beca's eyes and mouthed "You should go."  
  
Beca rolled her eyes in response and Chloe shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I think Beca should go," Chloe said brightly.  
  
Beca looked at Chloe menacingly, but Chloe just grinned and winked at her.  
  
"Alright, Beca's up! Tell us something about yourself or, if you're up for it, share something crazy that happened to you," Rory said with enough enthusiasm to somehow make Beca feel more uncomfortable.  
  
Beca cleared her throat. "Um...wow...ok. Well when I was in...like...third grade? I think, maybe it was fourth grade actually. Anyways, I was in class and we were taking a test, and the kid sitting next to me was the smartest in the class. So everyone around me was trying to cheat off this one kid's paper and I told them 'hey take your own test' and I thought I was being quiet but the teacher heard me. She gave me, the only innocent one, a zero on the test and I got a detention for cheating. In the third grade! And yeah...that's my story. Someone else please go."  
  
There was a collection of "Ohs" that could be heard within their group. Beca was pleased with herself for coming up with something so quickly.  
  
"Wow...round of applause for Beca over here! That is pretty wild! Alright who's next?" Rory said.  
  
Beca could feel the tips of her ears burning. She could believe Chloe set her up like that! She felt eyes on her and looked up to see Chloe looking at her, eyes gleaming.  
  
"Meet me outside after this," Beca mouthed.  
  
Chloe nodded her head and seemed to stifle a giggle as she listened to the next person babble on about themselves.  
  
/  
  
"Ay Shortstack!" a voice called out.  
  
Beca was standing outside waiting for Chloe. She turned her head and was met with a large blonde girl she recognized from her orientation group.  
  
"Hey. Amy, right?" Beca asked. She honestly couldn't remember the girl's name.  
  
"That's Fat Amy to you. And before you ask, it so twig bitches like you don't call me fat behind my back," the girl, Fat Amy, replied.  
  
Beca's eyes widened before she stepped to the side. "Dude, there's a teacher like right there. Do you really want to get detention for cursing before school even starts?"  
  
"Huh? Who cursed?" the girl seemed genuinely confused, "But speaking of detentions, that story you told during that fiasco was pretty wild. I think I'll call you Shawshank, you know, since you got falsely accused and all. But just so you know, I'm the sneakiest girl in Tasmania. With teeth, that is."  
  
Beca was dumbfounded. She didn't know who this girl was or why she approached her. And don't even get her started on how weird the conversation was.  
  
"Amy! Are you bothering Beca?" Stacie suddenly appeared, sidling up next to Beca.  
  
Beca shrugged out the embrace. "We were just talking. How do you know her?"  
  
"Same middle school," they said in unison.  
  
"Makes sense," muttered Beca.  
  
The three of them chatted for a minute before Beca spotted red hair across the courtyard.  
  
"Why don't you two go find Jesse and Alex and Mj. They're probably lost. We're still hanging out this afternoon, right Stace?" Beca said cutting their conversations short.  
  
"Um...yeah sure. Come on Amy! See ya Beca," Stacie said a bit confused.  
  
Beca waited a bit before taking a deep breath and making her way towards Chloe.  
  
/  
  
"You know you didn't have to walk home with me," Chloe said nudging Beca shoulder.  
  
"Well, I was already heading to Stacie's and we supposed to be talking anyways," Beca replied. She turned her head and looked at Chloe. "Schedules, remember? We gotta see if we have the same classes."  
  
They continued on the walk, Beca kicking the rocks on the sidewalk, Chloe pointing out every butterfly and cloud she could see.  
  
"I got to hand it to you Beca, you handled me throwing you under the bus pretty well," Chloe said as they made their way to her house.  
  
"What can I say, I'm pretty smooth," Beca replied, laughing lightly. "I still can't believe you did that."  
  
"Oh you enjoyed it, don't even lie."  
  
As they reached Chloe's house, Beca shoved her hands in her pocket while Chloe opened her front door.  
  
"Mom I'm home! And Beca's here too!" Chloe yelled through the house.  
  
"We're in the living room sweetheart," Mrs. Beale's voice called out.  
  
Beca followed Chloe through her house to the living room where her mother and Chloe's dog, Rudy, were sat. Rudy barked and made his way over to Beca, who flinched a little. Although she'd encountered the dog numerous times, Rudy was bigger than her. But he was a sweet dog and his only real weapon was the amount of slobber he had. Beca did pride herself on how well she handled her recent encounters with the dog though. She scratched lightly behind his ears, which he seemed to be enjoying.  
  
"Hey Mom, me and Beca are going up to my room if that's ok," Chloe said quickly.  
  
"Hi Mrs. Beale," Beca said shyly while Rudy circled her and sniffed her pant leg.  
  
"That's fine Chloe, and Beca, I've told you a thousand times call me Katherine, " Chloe's mother replied smiling. "There's snacks in the kitchen if you guys are hungry by the way."  
  
"Okay, thanks Mom. Let's go Beca," Chloe said. "Awww you and Rudy are so cute."  
  
Beca looked up and met Chloe's eyes. And it was moments like this, when Chloe would say things like that, that made Beca think that Chloe liked her the way she liked Chloe.  
  
/  
  
"Damn, we don't have any classes together," Beca said as she looked over their schedules side by side.  
  
"What are you talking about? And stop cursing, my mom's gonna hear you." Chloe said as she slid off her bed onto the floor across from Beca.  
  
"Hey watch out for my water," Beca said hastily moving the bottle. "We have zero classes together dude."  
  
"Look we have homeroom together," Chloe said pointing at the piece of paper.  
  
"Nope, I'm in 203 and you're in 208. And we only have the same lunch period like 3 times."  
  
"Wow. We're finally going to the same school together but we're never going to see each other? This is like Romeo and Juliet!" Chloe said exasperated.  
  
"I don't think that's how that story went," Beca mumbled as Chloe continued on her rant. She watched as Chloe paced her room with her arms raised.  
  
"I mean, how are you supposed to keep your friends if whoever's in charge of schedules isn't doing their job right? And then making you pay to reschedule your courses? Ugh the nerve!"  
  
Beca couldn't tell if Chloe was joking or being serious but she seemed to be fuming so Beca decided to hold her tongue until she cooled down a bit.  
  
"I mean look at this! You have Geometry third period and Art fourth period. I have Art third period and Geometry fourth! And I have to pay to change those two classes? When you already have them set for you? This school makes no sense!" Chloe let out a deep breath before sitting down next to Beca.  
  
Beca ran her hand over Chloe's arm and watched her breathing slow down. Chloe rested her head on Beca shoulder.  
  
"What if we stop being friends because we never see each other at school?" Chloe said.  
  
Beca could hear the tears in Chloe's voice and felt her heart break a little.  
  
"We'll still be friends Chlo," Beca said continuing to soothe Chloe.  
  
"You promise?" Chloe said quietly. She raised her head from Beca shoulder and look her in her eyes.  
  
Beca could feel Chloe's breath over her face. She had the urge to lean in and kiss all her doubt away. But she steeled herself and whispered back, "I promise."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S this is stuff based off my experiences btw. I actually did get a detention in 3rd grade lmao my teacher was mean


	5. Pig Names and Invites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> efforts are made by Chloe, the gang gets good news, and no flashbacks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about writing a part 2 to "Quiet Library" but idk. also I was going to post the next chapter too but that went in a completely different direction than I anticipated...this is gonna be slow burn but not that slow. like a fast paced slow burn. anyways, enjoy!

**Present Day**

"We should name our pig," Chloe stated out of the blue.

Beca looked up from their half dissected pig with a questioning look on her face. "Which one?" she asked before continuing their work.

"How many pigs do we have, Becs? I'm talking about Margaret right here," Chloe said, gesturing to the pig.

Beca's eyebrows furrowed at the mention of the nickname Chloe had given her so long ago but she recovered.

"Um...she doesn't look like a Margaret to me. And I feel like giving her a human name makes this too real, you know?" Beca replied looking back up at Chloe who was making her way to the opposite side of the table.

"I don't know how you can do that. The smell is the worst part about this whole thing," she said shuddering.

"The smell leaves once you've been exposed to it long it. And it's your turn now anyways," Beca said handing Chloe the tools she was holding. "Just find its liver and we should be good for today."

"Did you vote for captains the other day?" Chloe asked.

Beca thought that was an odd question considering she was fairly certain Chloe had seen her in the gym that day.

"Yeah. I thought you saw me?"

"I probably did but I was pretty distracted the whole time. Nerves, I guess," Chloe replied as her eyes flitted over Beca's face.

"Yeah. Me too."

They fell into a comfortable silence after that. Beca watched Chloe's facial features memorized everything. The curve of her cheekbones. The blueness of her pupils as they dance under the goggles she wore. The freckles splayed over her nose. Everything.

"Beca."

Beca blinked out her daze and felt her ears burning up. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I said that Sky has a liver with 4 lobes."

"Oh. Cool. I will write that down," Beca said pointing her pencil at Chloe. "Also, our pig's name isn't going to be Sky, Beale."

Laughing at the brunette's antics, Chloe said, "Well maybe, you could come over and we can come up with a better name for our pig." She winked before adding, "and working on our pig function list."

"Don't you have cheer practice afterschool?" Beca asked. She knew she was deflecting but she honestly couldn't believe her ears. Why was Chloe inviting her over?

"We're supposed to but we're the last team to find out who our captains are. So what do you say?"

Beca was silent for a moment as she looked at Chloe.

"C'mon please? I miss hanging out with you! And I bet Rudy misses you too," Chloe enticed.

After seeing Beca's lip curl up, Chloe let out a silent squeal. "I'm taking that smile as a yes!"

Shaking her head, Beca said, "Whatever Beale. I'm only agreeing so I can see Rudy."

"Yeah, yeah, Mitchell. Now help me put our pig up."

/

  
"Did you see the basketball and soccer rosters? WE'RE CAPTAINS BABY!" Mj said as Beca sat at their lunch table.

"What? Really? Funny, Mj, the votes aren't even in yet," Beca said dismissively.

"Nope. I talked to Coach Matt and Andrews and since we were the only two on the ballots, we automatically become co-captains. It'd be different if there were seniors on the team though," Mj said before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Beca couldn't believe her ears. Today couldn't be real. First, she lands an unofficial study date with Chloe and now she's hearing she's co-captains with her bestfriend? Today couldn't be better.

"You made it Becaw! Varsity and captain. I would be jealous of you if I wasn't the boys soccer team captain," Jesse said cheekily bumping Beca's shoulder.

"Holy crap! All of you guys are team captains?" Emily said excited.

"Group hug!" Jesse exclaimed.

And before Beca could even protest, she was swept up in Jesse's arms and was sandwiched between her two bestfriends.

/

2 messages from Chloe B.

To Beca> 11:34 AM: Congrats on captain!!!

To Beca> 2:15 PM: Meet me in the parking lot after the last bell ;)

Beca read over the messages with a small smile on her face. When she'd turned her phone on, her heart fluttered a bit when she saw Chloe had texted her. During school, no less. The final bell would be ringing any minute now and Beca's nerves were on end.

 _You guys are just hanging out. Doing your project for Russo. No funny business..._ Beca thought.

/

Beca approached Chloe's car in the parking lot but was met with no Chloe.

To Chloe> 2:45 PM: At your car but you aren't :(

From Chloe> 2:46 PM: lol sorry my locker wouldn't open but I'm walking out the door rn!!

From Chloe> 2:46 PM: Oh I see you :)

Beca looked up from her phone to see the redhead rushing out the school building.

"You can take your time!" Beca shouted but the redhead didn't seem to hear her. Beca decided to just meet Chloe halfway instead of watching her from a distance.

"I said you could have taken your time," Beca said as she approached Chloe.

"Oh really? I couldn't hear you," Chloe replied laughing breathlessly.

"Do you need help with those?" Beca asked gesturing to the books in Chloe's hand as they walked towards Chloe's car.

"Yeah, actually I do," Chloe replied before handing Beca the books in her hand.

"So why did you request my presence at such a specific time?"

"Well, I thought I'd offer you a ride to my house. We're still on for this afternoon right?"

"Oh yeah. Wouldn't miss it for the world," Beca said in a sarcastic tone as they approached the trunk of Chloe's car.

"Well. Let's go."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is totally a cliffhanger but not really lol. next chapter will be up tmrw(?) or the day after


	6. Rudy the Witness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca and Chloe have a convo about their friendship: )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my internet hasn't been working bc the weather is wild where I live lol. enjoy this chapter though :)

"The function of the kidneys is to filter and create blood, right?" Chloe asked.

They were sat in her room, Beca on the floor, Chloe on her bed. Rudy was sat on the floor near Beca with his head in her lap. The dog was way bigger than Beca remembered. 

"Um...no. The bones make blood and the kidneys make urine by filtering the blood," Beca said as she alternated between scratching behind Rudy's ears and writing her own organ functions. "Also, do you not listen to music while you do your homework?"

Chloe just shrugged her shoulders. "You can listen to something if you want to. I personally think it's distracting," she said, gesturing to the speaker on her nightstand 

Beca hummed, but she continued her work in silence. 

"I missed this," Chloe said quietly. Beca met Chloe's eyes but hurriedly looked away.

"Well maybe if you hadn't ghosted me halfway through freshman year..." Beca trailed off sounding somewhat bitterly. They hadn't talked about that aspect of their relationship or rather how it ended.

**2015**

Beca didn't normally do this type of thing, but she didn't see any other option. She'd been texting Chloe all week but all her messages seemed to be left unopened by the redhead.

So Beca decided to do the most logical thing she could think of, which was waiting outside the cheerleaders' locker room for Chloe. It wasn't necessarily ambush, but Beca was feeling a bit frustrated with the redhead.

As Beca leaned against the wall, she thought of all the reasons Chloe could be ignoring her. She knew their friendship wasn't as strong as it had been, but she had hoped the cheerleader would at least wish her luck at her first basketball match. A game that Chloe was cheering at as well.

Suddenly the door burst open and a handful of cheerleaders walked out. Beca straightened her posture as she looked at Monica Hartnett, the cheer captain.

"Awww, you're Mitchell, right? Number 16?" Monica asked smiling at Beca. "I've seen you at practice. Kinda hard to miss since you're the cutest one on the team. You're really good at basketball."

_Wow, this girl is gorgeous...And she knows my name!! And she thinks I'm cute!..._ Beca thought.

"Um...yeah that's me. And thanks, I've been..  
uh...playing for a long time," Beca said as confidently as she could. By now, more cheerleaders had filed out of the locker room, but still no sign of Chloe.

"Well, I'm having a party tonight. After the game? You should totally come," Monica said, stepping closer to Beca so her back was against the wall.

Beca laughed nervously. "Y-yeah! For sure!" Beca cringed inwardly feeling as though she sounded too enthusiastic.

"Awes! Come on ladies, let's go warm up!" Monica said, backing away from Beca with a wink and walking towards the gym.

As Beca watched the cheerleaders make their way to the gym, she made eye contact with Chloe. She didn't know how long the redhead had been standing, but she suddenly felt guilty about letting Monica shamelessly flirt with her.

"Hey Chloe," Beca said trying to read the girl's face.

"Hi Beca," Chloe responded with a smile that didn't seem genuine. "Good luck with your game."

She patted Beca on the shoulder before catching up with her fellow teammates. Beca furrowed her eyebrows as she watched her walk off. That interaction had just confirmed one of her biggest concerns: her and Chloe weren't friends anymore. They were acquaintances at best.

/

**Present Day**

"I know that what I did was pretty shitty, but I truly am sorry about not talking to you Beca," Chloe said sincerely. "I just got caught up with everything, you know how busy our freshman year was. And I was in a weird headspace that year, too."

It was true. Their freshman year had been extremely hectic, especially with the two of them juggling both sports and school work.

"Yeah, it was busy, but you were at all my games, Chloe. Cheerleading and everything. You could have at least tried to talk to me," Beca said, raising her voice a bit. She looked up and saw Chloe was now sitting on the edge of the bed looking at her intently. Beca couldn't tell if she was about to cry with the way her face was scrunched up.

"Look, Beca. You're totally right. I could have done something but I didn't," Chloe said as she slid off her bed and sat next to Beca," but I really would like it if we could be friends again. We had such a strong relationship before."

Beca pondered Chloe's words for a moment. Could they really rekindle their relationship? Was Chloe suggesting they pick up where they left off or just start fresh? And could she handle the emotions that came with being Chloe's friend?

"I- I don't know, Chloe. But I do know one thing," Beca said. "If we do become friends again, you can't ghost me like you did before. That really hurt me, especially since there was no warning or anything. One day we're texting and laughing and the next there was nothing."

"So are you saying you don't want to be friends again?" Chloe asked hesitantly.

"I'm not saying that," Beca said quickly.

"So you do want to be friends? I'm really confused, Becs."

Sighing, Beca sat up and looked at Chloe. "Okay. I, Beca Mitchell, will be your friend as long as you swear not to ghost me, ever. With Rudy here as our witness." The dog's ears perked up at his name.

"Is this really nece-"

"Swear it!"

Rolling her eyes and chuckling lightly Chloe said, "I, Chloe Beale, promise not to ghost you, Beca Mitchell, ever. There, happy?"

"Extremely," Beca said, grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooh mid-chapter flashbacks are DIFFERENT. I surprised myself with that one tbh..but Beca and Chloe are friends again!!! (for now)


	7. Old Cheering, New Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all the chapters I had written for this story deleted but I had the first seven saved to my Google drive. enjoy the chapter :)

2015

"Alright, ladies. Listen up!" Monica shouted, clapping her hands to get the cheer squad's attention. "We're going through this two more times and I don't want to hear any complaining, got it?"

Chloe looked at the tired expressions on the other girls' faces and slumped her shoulders. Although she loved cheerleading, she'd only joined because Aubrey insisted it would be fun. She absolutely hated Monica though. Being one of the only freshmen on the team came with a lot of teasing from the senior. She hated the girl even more so now that she'd suddenly taken a liking to Beca. Her Beca! Who did this girl think she was?

Chloe took a swig from her water bottle and looked at Aubrey who was sitting in the bleachers. "I can't believe you injured yourself on the exact day she decides to go through the nationals routine twenty times! Lucky bitch," she grumbled.

Aubrey had somehow managed to twist her ankle during their warm ups, claiming she couldn't move the joint without it hurting. Monica had said that she could sit out for that practice but she would have to do twice as much cardio to keep up with everyone else.

"I'd rather be doing the routine. I mean, more cardio? After I just twisted my ankle, while I was doing cardio? Doesn't make any sense!" Aubrey said, adjusting the ice pack on her ankle.

"Hey! Beale! Some of us actually have things to do after practice, so why don't you get your head out of Aubrey's ass and get back in line!" Monica shouted at her.

Placing her bottle down, Chloe drew in a deep breath.

_The things I do for Aubrey..._ she thought as she made her way back.

/

Once Chloe got home from practice, she collapsed onto her bed. She was sore and Monica had made her stay late and roll up all the stunt mats by herself.

Putting her hair into a ponytail, she dug in her bag and pulled out her phone.

2 messages from Aubs

1 message from Becs<3

She sighed looking at the notification from Beca. She missed texting the brunette, but had decided that until she figured out what aggravated her about Beca and Monica's blossoming relationship, she would keep her distance.

From Aubs> 8:56 PM: I have your water bottle. you left it in the bleachers next to me

From Aubs> 9:00 PM: I'll give it to you tmrw at school

To Aubs> 9:07 PM: OMG I didn't even realize I left it!! thanks ur a lifesaver

Looking at the message Beca left her once more, she decided to throw caution to the wind and opened the text.

From Becs> 8:32 PM: hey I know ur at cheer practice rn but text me back later

To Becs> 9:12 PM: hi, I just got out of cheer practice. what's up?

She bit her thumbnail waiting for the brunette to respond. When she thought about Monica and Beca, she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that felt a lot like jealousy. But that couldn't be, could it? Chloe had always thought Beca was the most caring and sweet person she'd ever met even though she had a "I don't care about anything" attitude. And she always did think the brunette was really cute. Did she like Beca in a more than friendly way?

From Becs> 9:15 PM: hey! I just wanted to know if you were ok

From Becs> 9:15 PM: you've just been acting strange lately is all

To Becs> 9:16 PM: yea I'm ok. just a bit stressed

Except Chloe wasn't okay. She was trying to figure out what she actually felt for the brunette and their conversation wasn't helping her situation.

/

"She says she stressed. How do I respond to that?" Beca asked looking at her friends.

Stacie, Amy, Mj, and Beca all had a presentation that was due the next day so they decided to spend the night practicing at Mj's. The Australian was in the kitchen trying to convince Mj's mother to make them some midnight snacks.

"Ask her if you can help her relieve that stress," Stacie responded winking at Beca.

"Gross, Stacie," Mj visibly shuddered. "Just tell her if she needs someone to talk to she can talk to you."

"I don't know what to do. She's been acting weird ever since the game last week," Beca said furrowing her eyebrows as she typed what Mj told her. "And she hasn't been responding to my texts."

"I think you're reading told far into this, Beca. She probably is just stressed out," Stacie said nudging her over.

"Yeah, probably. She said she going to bed, we should probably do the same. It's getting late," Beca clicked her phone off and plugged her charger into the wall.

"I'll go get Amy. Hopefully she hasn't freaked my mom out too bad," Mj said walking out her room, leaving Beca and Stacie.

"Do you think she's mad because I let her bitchy cheer captain flirt with me in front of her?" Beca blurted out.

"Why would she be mad?"

"I don't know. It's just...you didn't see her face afterwards. It was just..." Beca couldn't put into words how their interaction had felt. "She was just really...stiff? I guess? She was acting weird."

"Yeah, that is strange. If I didn't know any better I'd say she has a crush on you," Stacie said before letting out a laugh that Beca didn't join in.

What if Chloe did have a crush on her? What would that mean for them?

Beca was so caught up in her own thoughts that she barely registered that Stacie was asking her a question.

"She said she'll see you tomorrow?"

Shaking away her thoughts for now Beca responded, "Yep."

"Well then you can talk tomorrow. In person. Now get some sleep, Beca," Stacie said rolling over on the floor.

"Ok."

(She didn't talk to Chloe the next day)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> right now I'm working on overall story revisions, (nothing too crazy just checking for grammatical errors), chapter 8, and pt. 2 of Quiet Library. I'm going to try and post on Monday and Fridays; let's hope stick to this schedule and not go on a super long hiatus like last time lol


	8. The Mitchells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca having supportive parents>>>>>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> might post the next chapter before Monday. we'll see. enjoy the chapter: )

__2010  
  
"Hey, Mom. Quick question." Beca said as she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.   
  
"What's up, squirt?" her mom replied. She had been prepping dinner before Beca walked in. "Could you hand me the garlic out the refrigerator?"   
  
"Sure. So my school's having a Career Day thing next week," Beca said handing her mom the vegetable.   
  
"Mhmm."   
  
"And, I was wondering, since Dad can't go because he's teaching college dorks while I'm at school, if maybe you could come. And talk about buildings," Beca finished awkwardly.   
  
"Beca, architecture is more than just buildings," her mom told her as she dumped the chopped vegetables into the pot on the stove.   
  
"So...is that a yes?"   
  
Beca's mom sighed," I'll see what I can do, sweetheart."   
  
"Yes! Thanks mom!" Beca said before quickly dashing out the kitchen.   
  
"Hey! Get back here!"   
  
Beca peeked her head through the doorway.   
  
"Why do you even want me to give a speech at you school? Aren't you supposed to be old enough to be embarrassed by your parents?" her mom asked suspiciously.   
  
Truthfully, her teacher did mention something about extra credit for anyone who managed to get their parents to speak, but Beca couldn't let her mom find out about that. "Um...no. I guess not?" Beca said unconvincingly.   
  
"Yeah, alright. Well, dinner will be ready in a few, so go finish up your homework." her mom said, turning back towards the stove.   
  
"Okay, bye!" Beca said, quickly scurrying off to her room before her mom could ask more questions.    
  
/   
  
_ Present Day _   
  
As soon as she heard the car doors close, Beca knew something was off. Her parents told her that they both were going to be home later than normal, her father with tutoring sessions and her mother with client meetings.   
  
But if that was the case, why was the front door being opened? Reaching under her bed quickly, she grabbed her bat. It had been a birthday gift from Stacie claimed she thought Beca played softball since she played basically everything else.   
  
She crept out her doorway, but before she could get far, she heard her mother call her from downstairs. Letting out a sigh, she tossed her bat onto her bed, narrowly missing her phone, and headed downstairs.   
  
"Hey, I got takeout for dinner. Hope you like beef and broccoli," her mom said while placing her bags on the table.   
  
"Oh, cool," Beca said approaching the food. "You're home earlier than I thought you were going to be."   
  
"Yeah, well. We finished earl-"   
  
"Mom, who's parked outside?" Beca said cutting off her mother. She watched through the window as a maroon car and pulled up in front their house and parked on the curb.   
  
"Huh?" her mom said, shoving her out the way. "Now that's strange."   
  
"Why's that strange?" Beca said folding her arms across her chest.   
  
"Because that's the car me and your father got you as a surprise," she said hiding her smile.   
  
Beca's head was swimming. A car? Her parents got her a car? She thought that type of stuff only happens in movies! A CAR? Were they crazy?    
  
The honking of a car horn drew her from her thoughts. She watched as the driver's side window rolled down, revealing her father's grinning face.   
  
"Well are you going to go see it or not?" her mom teased nudging her shoulder.   
  
"I-I'm. Wha-What?!" Beca sputtered out. "You BOUGHT ME A CAR!?"   
  
Beca dad honked the horn once more before getting out and gesturing for her to come see the car herself. She willed her body to do anything but she was frozen in place.    
  
"Oh my goodness, come on kiddo. We're going to see your car," Beca's mom said dragging her out the door.   
  
Beca's jaw dropped as she got a closer look at the car. It was a maroon 2019 Nissan Altima with a dark interior. There was no cliche bow on the hood but as she peered through the windows, she saw a pack of floormats and a couple air freshener packs.   
  
"I- I don't know what to say. You guys bought me a car? Why?" Beca said dumbfounded.   
  
"Well, your mother and I see you becoming more mature as you grow older and, since you haven't crashed either of our cars yet, we know you're a safe driver," her dad said chuckling.   
  
"Oh my God, thank you guys so much," Beca said pulling both her parents into a hug.   
  
"You're welcome, sweetheart," her mom said. "Just promise us you'll be safe on the road."   
  
"I promise," Beca said pulling away from the embrace. Looking across the street at the Swanson residence, she saw lights on in the room that she happened to know belonged to Jesse.    
  
"Jesse!" she screamed.   
  
Her parents looked at her with their eyebrows raised, but Beca ignored them as she watched the window open and Jesse emerged.   
  
"Hey! I got a car!" she exclaimed.   
  
"What? Really!?" Jesse screamed back. He turned and bolted out his room.   
  
"And on that note, I'll go make our plates for dinner," her mom said before making her way back to the house.   
  
"I think I'll join you," her dad added as he watched Jesse and Beca chat animatedly about the new car.   
  
He turned on his heel and walked back into the house.


	9. Plans?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanging out in study hall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy the chapter:)))

"Is this all of it? Your half too?"

"Yep."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Chloe. I'm positive!"

"Just making sure," Chloe replied breezily as she flipped through the papers.

They were sitting in the library during their study hall period putting some finishing touches on their lab report. It was only first period, but Beca felt as though she'd been at school way longer. 

"I'm starving," Beca mumbled as she shifted in her chair, stomach grumbling. "And bored."

"I have food if you wanted something to eat," Chloe mumbled back, digging through her purse. 

Beca watched as she searched through her things, utterly captivated. It had been a couple of weeks since they'd become friends again, but Beca knew her feelings for Chloe were more than platonic. How Chloe was able to look that pretty naturally, Beca had no clue.

Sighing and shaking the thoughts that plagued her mind more often than not, she replied, "Yeah, sure. What do you have?"

"Um...I only have a granola bar, but I usually save it for after cheer practice. But we can split it," Chloe said as she held the bar in her hand.

Beca looked around hastily. They were sitting at a table far enough away from the librarian's desk, a bookshelf filled with dictionaries to Beca's right and more tables with other students to the left of Chloe. The school had a strict policy about not eating in the library; even drinking water was a bit of a stretch. But no one seemed to be paying any attention to anything in that moment 

"Yeah, let's split it. But open it quietly cause...you know...it's a library," Beca said.

Chloe nodded before saying, "Ok, you keep watch."

Beca continued to look around as Chloe tore open the bar at an agonizingly slow pace. After what felt like an eternity, Chloe finally got the package open.

"Here you go," she said, handing Beca her half.

Their hands met as Chloe passed Beca her granola bar, and Beca swore she felt electricity run from Chloe's hand through her entire arm. 

Chloe blushed slightly before sitting back in her chair, smiling softly.

"We should play iSpy," Chloe said out of the blue.

"No! No thanks," Beca shot down the idea quickly.

"You literally just said you were bored," Chloe said, chewing through her snack.

"Yeah, but there's only fifteen minutes left before the bell rings, I think I'll be ok."

"Well why don't you listen to some music," Chloe said, gesturing to the laptop peeking out of Beca's backpack. 

"I left my gym bag in my car because I have practice after school and my headphones are in my gym bag," Beca said, obviously frustrated with herself. 

In hindsight, Beca thought it was a good idea. The locker rooms were always locked when she arrived on campus and it was annoying carrying an extra bag around all day.

"Rookie mistake," Chloe teased, lightly kicking Beca leg under the table. 

"Shut up, nerd," Beca said as she kicked Chloe back.

 

They stayed silent for a moment, Beca running through basketball plays in her head as she stared into space and Chloe looking at her with a dreamy expression.

Wait? What? Beca thought. She looked out the corner of her eye and sure enough, Chloe's eyes were glued to the side of her face and she had a small smile on her face. 

She felt a blush threatening to creep up her neck, but had miraculously managed to fight it down.

"What are you doing on Friday?" Chloe asked suddenly. 

Darting her eyes over Chloe's face, Beca replied, "Um...nothing yet. Just practice after school."

"So that means you're free?" Chloe said, biting her lip and scooting closer to Beca.

"Technically?" Beca said, trying to focus on anything but Chloe's lip and close proximity.

"That's awesome!" Chloe said with hushed excitement. "We could totally have a movie night!'

Beca cringed slightly, but the redhead didn't seem to notice. 

Truthfully, she had expressed her distaste for movies because she felt most were way too predictable. Jesse had tried on multiple occasions to have a movie night with Beca, but each time she would shut him down.

But Beca could see Chloe was trying to rebuild their friendship, so she could at least try, right? 

"Yeah, Chloe. That sounds cool," Beca managed to force out. 

"Great! I'll text you later and we can work out the details then?" Chloe asked, kissing Beca on the cheek. 

But before Beca could respond, the bell rang signaling the end of the period. Watching Chloe rush out the library, she surprisingly wasn't dreading Friday.


End file.
